1. Technical Field
This invention generally relates to frost-free well installations. More particularly, this invention relates to a pitless well adapter which includes a purge valve for clearing sediment from a well and at the same time preventing sediment from entering the main supply line.
2. Background
For the purposes of this Background section, reference will be made to Prior Art FIGS. 1A and 1B of the drawings.
Currently, domestic well installations require a two-part installation procedure. Once the well is dug and well casing 37 is in place, pump 36 is partially lowered below the water line and temporarily set in this position, shown in FIG. 1A, using a pump setting rig, not shown. Pump 36 is then activated and the well is cleared by pumping sediment-filled water from the well. Usually it takes at least a day, sometimes longer, to pump all the sediment from the well. Once the well is clear, the pump setting rig is again backed up to the well and pump 36, drop pipe 33, pitless adapter 1 and letdown pipe 34 are lowered into their final position, engaging pitless adapter 1 with its receiving shoe 14 to complete the well installation, as is shown in FIG. 1B. This procedure requires the pump setting rig to be used on two separate occasions.
Additionally, there are occasions where all of the sediment is not cleared the first time or underground activity causes sediment to again be introduced into the well. When this happens, it is necessary to again back the pump setting rig up to the well and raise it partially out of the well casing, so that a purge line may be engaged with the pitless adapter to clear the well. In addition to the expense involved in using the pump setting rig, severe damage can be caused to the surrounding landscape by the pump setting rig.
What is needed is a way to eliminate the use of a pump setting rig for clearing a domestic well installation of sediment. Accordingly, one object of this invention is to satisfy this need.